NEVER, NEVER USE TESCO INSURANCE......

[Joules]

(Joules, shall we just take it in turns to reply to this thread?   )

Fine with me. 

I think you should fight it.  Get your vet involved - if they say it was not pre-existing, Tesco can hardly dispute it.  You have nothing to lose - except your overdraft!  

I agree, insurance co's always seem to try and get out of paying up.  Unfortunately, I think it is the large number of people who put in fake claims that mess it up for the rest of us and make the ins co's so bloomin difficult!!  

[Cob-Web]

It MAY be related but the chances are it is not.

If your vet has said this, then Tesco's are within their rights to refuse to pay; did your vet know the situation when he completed the forms?

I appreciate your frustration, as others have said, get your vet onside, and appeal  Although Insurance Companies employ advisors to find flaws in claims; if there are no flaws then they have to pay (and in my experience they do so willingly - but as Joules has said there are a lot of fraudulent claims  )- so assuming that the claim is within the T & C's, then it is just a case of getting the claim right to be able to get the payout 

[Jeeves]

With you totally there Joules - there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there who ruin it for the genuine majority.

[PennyB]

I've also got another claim in for Parker for some tummy trouble he had prior to this (another £400 or so!!) So god help them if they refuse that claim too!

Is Tescos one of those insurers that will only insure for a complaint for 1st 12 months and then you can't claim the following year --- have a look at the small print

[happydog]

I've also got another claim in for Parker for some tummy trouble he had prior to this (another £400 or so!!) So god help them if they refuse that claim too!

Is Tescos one of those insurers that will only insure for a complaint for 1st 12 months and then you can't claim the following year --- have a look at the small print

Yes. They only covered my springer with liver failure for the first 12 months supply of drgs. After that I was on my own  .

[PennyB]

I've also got another claim in for Parker for some tummy trouble he had prior to this (another £400 or so!!) So god help them if they refuse that claim too!

Is Tescos one of those insurers that will only insure for a complaint for 1st 12 months and then you can't claim the following year --- have a look at the small print

Yes. They only covered my springer with liver failure for the first 12 months supply of drgs. After that I was on my own  .

Isn't that in the small print though when you buy the policy.

[Joules]

Yep, but a lot of people are not too clued up at the start - I stupidly thought that all the policies were pretty much alike and didn't really know what to look out for!    Now I have a better idea of the differences in policies, I would be more discerning! 

[Jane S]

Please can we remember that the laws of libel apply to the internet as well as anywhere else. I can certainly understand Jeeves' frustration but it's best not to make colourful accusations against companies who can and do take legal action if they feel they have been libelled. I have edited some of the posts in this thread in view of this

[Jeeves]

Yes, I know that they only cover things for 12 months or £2,500 - whichever comes first.

The tummy business happened just before his neck went and was a one off - he had to be hospitalised and on a drip, the works. There really should be no reason for them to take issue with this claim (she says, hopefully!!)  He had got dehydrated and constipated (all due to the excessively hot weather) but there has been no episode like this before or since.

[Annette]

When did you take out the policy? Was it before the first bout of neck pain or after?

[Jeeves]

It was after the first bout. The first time he hurt his neck was in February and I took out the policy in April.

[Cob-Web]

It was after the first bout. The first time he hurt his neck was in February and I took out the policy in April.

When you took out Tesco's insurance, did they ask about any previous treatment your dog had had? Most companies do, and the policy will then contain "exclusions",  - illnesses/conditions that are not covered

Some companies will consider the whole policy "void" if the customer failed to declare a pre-existing condition when they take out a policy - it may be unfair, but is usually clearly set out in the T & C's 

[shonajoy]

It was after the first bout. The first time he hurt his neck was in February and I took out the policy in April.

If you mentioned it at the time, they may be ok about it, but the difficulty is getting the vet to say for certain that it wasn't related to now, which may be difficult. Also, if you took out 12 monthly cover and not lifetime - they get away with that a lot unfortunately.

Good luck.

[Petra]

gosh, insurance is such a minefield...

when we lived in Holland, you could only insure your dog for third party liability, ie if it caused an accident, bit someone or bit another dog etc...

can't help but feel people's blood pressure was a lot lower then!!

[Jeeves]

First the VERY good news - Parker has had the all clear from the specialist!  He said that Parker looked 5 years younger from when he saw him last month and he does not have to go back again - phew!

Second, the tentatively good news. I discussed Tesco's intransigence with the specialist and he said that as there was abolutely no suspicion of disc trouble with his previous bout of neck pain, under no circumstances should it be treated as an ongoing complaint from the February episode.

I went to my vet and got a print out of all their computer records and sure enough, no mention of disc trouble in Feb, just minor neck pain.

SO.... I rang Tesco and insisted on speaking to a supervisor who agreed that in the light of this information, provided I send the print out, a letter from the vet and a copy of the referral letter, they will re-consider the claim!

I'm not hanging out the bunting just yet, but I think we're heading in the right direction!

Watch this space.......